Air tool for removing die punches and die buttons



J. E. PARKER 3,176,955

AIR TOOL FOR REMOVING DIE PUNCHES AND DIE BUTTONS April 6, 1965 Filed Aug. 1, 1962 COMPRE SSED AI R SUPPLY m MR TA P V. ME 5 E M A J 5 VI E N W VT T A ASBY United States Patent 3,176,955 AIR TOGL FOR REMOVING DEE PUNCHES AND DIE BUTTONS James E. Parker, 18230 Valarie, Wyandotte, Mich. Filed Aug. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 214,098 2 Claims. (Cl. 251-151) This invention relates generally to metal punching and forming tools, md more particularly to a novel air tool for inserting air under pressure into a metal punch retainer for exerting pressure on the inner end of a tool held in the retainer for ejecting the tool.

The air tool of the present invention is adapted for inserting air under pressure into a die retainer for removing a tool from the retainer and a metal punch or tool retainer with which the apparatus of the present invention is adapted to be used is shown in detail in my copending United States patent application entitled Air Ejection Means for Die Punches and Die Buttons, filed August 1, 1962, and given Serial Number 214,029.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an air tool for inserting air under pressure into a die retainer for removing a punch or a similar tool, and which comprises a tubular handle member adapted to be connected at one end thereof to a compressed air supply, an injection tube connected to said handle member for insertion into a fluid passage in a retainer block, and valve means in said handle for controlling the fiow of pressure fluid into the retainer block.

It is another object of the present invention to provide 9 a novel and improved air tool for inserting an under pressure into a tool retaining block, and which is simple and compact in construction, economical of manufacture and efiicient in operation.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts of the several views.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a novel air insertion tool made in accordance with the principles of the present invention and showing the tool in operative relationship to a metal punch retainer block;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view of the air tool structure illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged, eievational view of the left end of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing and in particular to FIG. 1, the reference numeral generally designates a retainer lock which is provided with the usual backing plate generally indicated by the numeral 11 and which is adapted to be secured to the head of a press (not shown). The backing plate 11 is adapted to be secured to the retainer block 16 by any suitable means, as by means of a plurality of screws indicated by the numeral 12. The retainer block 10 is provided with a cylindrical tool socket 13 and with an angularly disposed cylindrical hole or bore 14 which partially intersects the socket 13.

Operatively mounted in the angular hole 14 is a suitable lock means which includes the retainer ball 15. The lock means further includes a helical compression spring 16 which is disposed behind the ball 15 in the hole 14 and which is adapted to urge the ball 15 outwardly of the intersecting portion of the hole 14 so that the ball 15 tends to project into the socket or bore 13. Due to the shape of the intersecting hole 14 and the socket 13, the ball cannot escape from the hole 14. The upper end of the spring 16 is indicated by the numeral 17, and it is adapted to be extended into the hole 18 formed in the block 1% so as to retain the spring 16 in place.

A small hole 19 is formed in the lower exposed face 20 of the retainer block 10 and it is substantially parallel to the socket hole 13 and intersects the locking means hole 14 on the ball end thereof. As shown in FIG. 1, a suitable drift pin 21 or the like may be inserted through the hole 19 so that it can push the ball 15 backwardly and upwardly against the opposition of the spring 16, far enough to release the tool 22 which is slidably mounted in the tool socket E3.

The tool 22 is illustrated as a punch having a circular shank 23 which is adapted to be seated in the socket 13. It will be understood that the tool 22. is merely illustrative and that the invention is equally applicable to the removal of dies, tools and other devices which are secured in place in the manner shown in the drawing or by any other equivalent means. The tool 22 is provided with the formed or operative end of the punch illustrated by the numeral 24.

As shown in FIG. 1, the shank 23 of the tool 22 is provided with the notch 25 in its wall into which the ball 15 seats when the punching tool 22 is inserted into the socket 13 so as to engage the backing plate 11 as shown in FIG. 1. The notch 25 is disposed across the exposed end of the hole 14 when the tool 22 is inserted into the socket 13 and the notch 25) is substantially formed as a half of a tear drop as viewed in longitudinal section as in FIG. 1. In effect, the notch 25 forms a continuation of the hole 14.

As shown in FIG. 1, the retainer 16 is provided with the vertical bore 26 which is aligned with the bore 27 in the backing plate 11. The upper end of the bore 27 is enclosed by the set screw 23. The retainer block it) is further provided with the transverse bore or passage 29 which is formed along the upper end of the retainer 13 and which communicates at the inner end with the socket 13. The outer end of the bore 29 is enclosed by the threaded plug 36.

It will be seen that when the drift pin 21 is inserted through the hole 1) and moved against the ball 15, the ball 15 will be moved upwardly into a compressed position whereby the tool 22 may be quickly and easily removed from the socket 13 by introducing compressed air into the passage 26 whereby it is conducted to the passage 29 and into the socket 13. Due to the tapered periphery 31 on the upper end of the tool 22, the air under pressure will exert a downward and ejecting force on the tool 22.

The air tool for inserting air under pressure into the conduit 25 comprises the handle forming conduit or pipe 32 which is provided with the bore 33. One end of the handle conduit 32 is threaded and is mounted into the conventional coupling 34. The coupling 34 is operatively mounted in the usual fashion in the air hose fitting generally indicated by the numeral 35. The fitting 35 is connected to a conventional air hose 36 which is in turn connected to a suitable compressed air supply generally indicated by the numeral 37.

The other end of the handle 32 is provided with a reduced bore therethrough indicated by the numeral 33, and the inner end of the reduced bore 38 is provided withthe tapered valve seat 39. A valve 4@ having a tapered valve seat on the outer end thereof is adapted to be seated on the valve seat 39 to stop air under pressure from flowing into the reduced conduit or bore 33. The valve 40 is integrally connected to the valve rod 41 and this rod extends through the bore 38 and outwardly of the handle conduit 32. Fixedly mounted on the outer end of the rod 41 by any suitable means is the finger button or control 42 which is adapted to be moved into the recess 43 when it is pressed inwardly to open the valve as. When the valve 42 is pressed inwardly, air under pressure will flow from the bore 33 into the bore 38 and thence into 'the conduit 45 which is formed in the lock 44 that is fixedly attached to the outer end of the handle conduit 32.

An air insertion tube 46 is fixedly connected by any suitable means, as by welding, to the outer end of the block 44. Slidably mounted about the tube 46 is the sleeve 47. A screw or key 48 is mounted throughthe sleeve 47 and is engaged at the inner end thereof in the longitudinal key slot 49 in the tube 46 whereby the sleeve 47 may be moved longitudinally of the tube 46 for a slight distance. The sleeve 47 is biased outwardly into engagement with the bottom surface 29 of the retainer block 10 in an operative position by means of the spring 50 which has the one end thereof mounted around an extended portion of the block 44 and the other end thereof abutting the inner end of the sleeve 47. It will be seen that when the sleeve 47 is moved into engagement with the surface 29 of the retainer 10, the air under pressure will not be able to escape backwardly along the tube v46.

Experience has shown that an -air insertion tool of the present invention is efficient for inserting air under pressure into a die retainer of the type illustrated in FIG. 1, and the tool 22 may be quickly and easily removed from the retainer 1% by means of the air insertion tool of the present invention.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiments of the invention herein disclosed are well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change Without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. A fluid pressure apparatus for inserting pressurized fluid into a conduit in a die retainer for ejecting a tool from the die retainer, comprising: a handle; an air passage formed through said handle; means on one end of said handle for connecting the same to a source of compressed air; an outlet tube connected to said handle and communicating with said air passage; a manually operated valve mounted in saidhandle in the other end thereof between said air passage and said outlet tube and adjacent said outlet tube for controlling the flow of compressed air through said outlet tube; a sleeve slidably mounted on said outlet tube for abutment against the die retainer when the outlet tube is inserted into the die retainer; and means interconnecting said sleeve and outlet tube to limit the distance that the sleeve can be slidably moved on said outlet tube.

2. A fluid pressure apparatus for inserting pressurized fluid into a conduit in a die retainer for ejecting a tool from the die'retainer, comprising: a handle; an air passage formed through said handle; means on one end of said handle for connecting ,thesame to a source of compressed air; an outlet tube connected to said handle and communicating with said air passage; a manually operated valve mounted in said handle in the other end'thereof between said air passage and said outlet tube and adjacent said outlet tube for controlling the flow of compressed air through said outlet tube; a sleeve slidably mounted on said outlet tube for abutment against the die retainer when the outlet tube is inserted into the die retainer; means interconnecting said sleeve and outlet tube to limit the distance that the sleeve can be slidably moved on said outlet tube; and spring means mounted between said sleeve and said handle for biasing said sleeve into engagement with the die retainer.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,001,233 5/35 Anderberg 137228 2,173,619 9/39 Ames 137-229 XR 2,635,623 4/53 Motfett 137229 M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A FLUID PRESSURE APPARATUS FOR INSERTING PRESSURIZED FLUID INTO A CONDUIT IN A DIE RETAINER FOR EJECTING A TOOL FROM THE DIE RETAINER, COMPRISING: A HANDLE; AN AIR PASSAGE FORMED THROUGH SAID HANDLE; MEANS ON ONE END OF SAID HANDLE FOR CONNECTING THE SAME TO A SOURCE OF COMPRESSED AIR; AN OUTLET TUBE CONNECTED TO SAID HANDLE AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID AIR PASSAGE; A MANUALLY OPERATED VALVE MOUNTED IN SAID HANDLE IN THE OTHER END THEREOF BETWEEN SAID AIR PASSAGE AND SAID OUTLET TUBE AND ADJACENT SAID OUTLET TUBE FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF COMPRESSED AIR THROUGH SAID OUTLET TUBE; A SLEEVE SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID OUTLET TUBE FOR ABUTMENT AGAINST THE DIE RETAINER WHEN THE OUTLET TUBE IS INSERTED INTO THE DIE RETAINER; AND MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID SLEEVE AND OUTLET TUBE TO LIMIT THE DISTANCE THAT THE SLEEVE CAN BE SLIDABLY MOVED ON SAID OUTLET TUBE. 